Vehicle-direction indicator



May 31 19272 1,630,608 F. w. CHADWICK VEHICLE DIRECTION INDI CATOR Filed May 1 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

FARR'OMI. CHADWIC 5/ M21 m rr' May 31 1927.

3,630,608 F. w. CHADWXCK EHICLE DIRECTION INDICATOR Filed May 1?. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'lHVENTfiR F'ARRO W. CHADWiCK.

ATTI- ill latiozi '1 v my mm 1 in ention inlay" oi, 3.32.11

rlinno W. a

VEHICLE-DIRECTION INDICATOR.

Application filed. may 1?,

invention relates to llilj)i.ll\'(?l1lil"-f in ilireetion indicators for vehicles. wherein a pointer formed from eparate head and tail portioi'is is inoi'ahle from a normally l'olded relation to outwardly extendin position pointing either to right or left, as desired The primary object of my invention to provide an improved vehicle direction illtlh eator.

Another object is to provide an iuiproved device of neat and extremely eoinpnri eonrtruction which will not disliguro a rehirle nod whieh will ali'ord an elficieut means [411' indicating a prop sed rhanp e in Course.

A further oloj is to provide a derive ol the character deser ied Whereina pointer arranz ed to allord a large and eongoieuous signal when extended, normally concealed and housed within a gre 'ly reduced space J still further ohjert to proride an in1- proved eonst notion which may he easily apl and ellieieutly operated upon any wel oeemo iilisl1 there and other o nouns ol the iziu'irored device lli the innings torn'iii. a part oil: l. speoilieut 1n, wherein like shar -1'] r1 ol' relto lllffilgl'lklli, siniihiupzu and specification and tll'zi'ulii i erenee are r l througi :ou

vertical section the signal v the inannor'in which my d indicator is mounted therein.

the deni -as sir:- n in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 "1s ahrolaen rear elevation of the indieator mov d outwardly in normal ret initial movement of the a broken rear elevation of the on 1 as extended to indicate a proposed i'urn toward ght.

1 la torus extended to indicate a prooosed turn the left.

lleferring to-the drawings, my improved. vehicle direction indicator will he seen to 1::o'1nprise on 1dieator consisting of separate head a tail portions 1 and 2, respectively, pivotahy mounted upon :1 (30111111011 pivot axis 1 at -3 upon the free end of an arm 4 pivotallv mounted at its other end as at 5 Within 11 housing 6 said housing lgeing arg. 33 is a sinii r View showing the inoi 1226. Serial No. 109,584.

ranged to be secured inimy convenient manner upon :1 suitable portion of a vehicle, not shown.

The arm l bifurcated adjacent the pivot mounting 5 to form a pair of love arms 7 between which is mounted a suitable roller 8 rotatable upon a pin 9 secured between said anu T. l

'lhe indicator portions 1 and 2 are preferably shaped to represent the head and tail of an arrow having shaft portions pivotally ruigu iing the pivot 3. lilenil'iers l] are mounted upon the pivot 33 and secured to the indicator portions 1 and 2 to increase the i901! ring surface upon the pivotand to form 11 means or turning said portions upon said, pivot, as hereinafter more fully decribed. 'lhe indicator portions 1 and 2 are uori'nully folded into proximate parallel relation upon opposite sides of the arm 4 i uuled Within the housing (3, as best .r-i'vn in Figs. 1 and of the drawings, the Mil-1i relation of said portions causing the iiulioator to occupy only a relatively short spare when in normal position. 1

An. urin t ng member 12 is pivot-ally mounted in the lower portion of the housing or r-ilii'l member 12 being secured upon a shaft i i extending outwardly through the hack oil to housing and arranged to receive a suitable operating handle or lover Flexible COlUltiiitlOllS 16 are secured 'at one end thereof to the actuating momher at equal distance lron'x the Vertical cento line of the, actuating member. The connections lb are carriedupwardly over the roller 8, thence downwardly parallel to the arm land around the members 11, and thence upwardly parallel to the arm 4, said eonneetions being secured to springs 17 connee-ted to the arm l in any suitable manner, as by collar 18. lhe connections 16 are secured upon the members 11 in any suitable manner at it) to cause saidnleinbers and the portions 3. or connected thereto to be mo ed pivotally upon the pivot 3'When the i'o1u1eotions are drawn in or paid out around said members ll. The portions 1 and 2 are hold in normal parallel position by the ten-v sion of the springs 'l'lvtending to turn Said portion in a clockwise direction as shown-in Fig. l. of the drawings. Stops 21 and 22 secured upon the portions 1 and 2 are ar- In operation the device' is mounted. in any suitable manner upon a 'vehicle, preferably adjacent the left side of the windshield with the operating shaft and lever 13 and 14 within convenient reach of the driver, relatively short narrow housing occupying only a small space and causing no appreciable obstruct-ion to the vision of the driver. \Vhen a change incourse is contemplated the driver shifts: the operating lever 15 manually in the desired direction. By shifting the operating lever, the actuating member 12 is moved to pull downwardly upon one of the flexible connections 16 and to slacken the other connection to inoperative relation to the indicator. The first portion of the movement of the actuating member 12 causes the operative connection 16 to pull downwardly u on the lever arms 7 and thereby swing t e arm 4 outwardly through an opening 23 formed in the outer side of the housi 6, as indicated indotted lines in Fig. 1, the lndicator portions 1 and 2 remaining in normal position during this imtial movement as show nfin Fig, 3 of the drawlogs. The movement of the aim 4c is limited by engagement with the top of the housing 6, or 1n. other suitable manner whereby the arm is stopped from further upward movement when a substantially horizontal operativgposition is reached.

the member 11 against the tension of the spring 17, through which it is connected to the arm 4. The movement of the connection 16 causes the memberrll and the indicator portion 1 and 2, to which it is connected, to

e turned pivot/ally upon the pivot 3 and moved into longitudinal alignment with the inactive indicator portion, as shown in Figs. at and 5. Thus, if it is desired to indicate a contemplated turn toward the right, the actuating member 12- is moved as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. thereby causing the connection 16 connected to the head portion 1 of the indicator to operate to first move the arm and indicator outwardly from the housing to operative position and then turn the head portion outwardly upon the pivot 3, as shown in Fig. 5 ot'the drawings, said head portion thereby being caused to cooperate w'ith the tail portion 2, to form an arrow or other suitable indicator pointing toward the right. Should the contemplated 'turn be toward the left', the actuating member 12 is turned in the opposite direction, thereby causing the other connection 16 to be rendered operative. In this case, the arm, with the portions 1 and 2 in normal position relative thereto, is moved outwardly further movement of the actuating member 12 now causes the operative connec-{ tion 16 to be drawn in over the roller 8 and as before by the first part of the movement, the subsequent movement causing the tail portion 2 of theindicator to be swung outwardly into longitudinal alignment with the head portion 1, which now remains station- ;ary relative to the arm 4, thereby causing the indicator to point toward the left.

The outward movement of both indicator portions 1 and 2 is limited by means of stops 24 secured upon the members 11 and engaging a stop 26 formed upon the arm 4 adjacent the pivot 3.

When the operatingclever 14 and actuating member 12 are released, the tension of the sprin 17 immediately causes the ex tended in icator portion 1 or 2' to swing back to normal position relative to the arm 4. At the same time the arm 4 is moved by gravity back to normal position within the housing (5. The spring 17 is preferably made to exert sufficient tension to offset the force necessary to cause the arm 4 and indicator to be swung outwardly in normal relation as above de scribed, thereby preventing any outward movement of the indicator portions 1 or 2 until the arm 4 has been moved to operative position.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided an improved construction, wherein the same indicator ortions are operated from a compact fol ed normal position, occupying very slight space, to an extended position pointing either to right or left as described, and giving a clear and conspicuous signal indicating the direction of a contemplated turn. v

I am aware that indicators for pointin out the diiection to which a contemplated turn is to be made have heretofore been known and used. I, therefore, do not wish to claim the broad idea of operatingaipoinb er to-indicate a change ineourse, but confine my invention to the improved construction illustrated and described, and such modifications as may fall within the scope of the ap ended claims.

aving thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire o secure by Lettors Patent is: i i

1. A vehicle direction indicator comprising separate head and tail portions pivotally suspended in normal vertical POSlllIOILUPOII a common pivot mounting and normally disposed in proximate parallel relation; and means for swinging the portions outwardly together to horizontal position: and for swinging either of said portions further outwardly independently upon the common pivot mounting into "longitudinal alignment with the other portion to form an indicator pointing to right or left as desired.

2. A vehicle direction indicator comprising separate head and tail portions pivotllly suspended in normal vertical position upon a common pivot mounting and normally noaocos pivot mounting into longitudinal alignment ltl with the other poi-lion to form an indicator pointing to right or left as desired; and means for limiting the relative movement of the indicator portions.

A vehicle direction indicator con TtlS- ing separate head and tail portions pivo- Lily suspended in normal vertical position apon. a common pivot mounting and normally disposed in proximate parallel relation; and means for swinging the portions outwardly together to horizontal position and for swinging either of said portions further out- Wardly independently upon the common pivot mounting into longitudinal alignn'ioi'it nith the other oortion to form an indicator pointing; to right. or left as desired; and means for returning said indicator portions to normal position. after each operation.

i. A vehicle direction indicator comprisin: an arm nirorally llkallllllld at one. end: an indicatin inoun 'cd upon the other end of the arm. said iudlt J-or ci'iniprisii'ig separatc head and tail POTl/HTGS nivotally mounted upon a common pivoi axis and normally disposed in proximate parallel relation; means for swinging the arm outwardly to carrli; the portions together in normal relation to outwardi cxtending horizontal position, said means being;- arramgcd to swingeither indicator portion outwardly upon the common pivot mounting into longitudinal alignment with the other portion to form an indicator pointing to right or left as desired.

5. A vehicle direction indiator comprisan arm pivotall "1o" rod at one end; an indicatormounted upon the other end of the arm, said indicator comprising seporatc hood and tail portions pivotally mount cd upon a common pivot axis and normally dis 'iosed in proximate parallel relation; incuns For swinging: the arin-outwardly to ca ry the portions together in normal relation to outwardly exlr-nding luninontal position. said means being arranged to swing eithm' indicator portion outwardly upon the common pivot mounting into longitudinal ali rnniont with throther portion to form an lIulir-:1lm pointing to right or left as (c sirrd: and stops arranged to limit the move ment of tho indicator portions.

6. it vchicle dire n1 indicator comprisinc an arm nivotaliv mounted at one end; an indicator mount-( l upon the other end or the arm. said indicator ronsistin of separate hood and rail portions pivotally mounted upon a ron'nnon pivot axis and normally f imsed in proximate parallel relation; an touting member pivotall}; mounted adjac at the arm; pair of flexible connections connected betwccn the ac" rating member and the arm and each engaging an indicator portion, said connections being arranged to move the arm outwardly to operative position with the indicator portions in normal relation during an initial movement of the actuating member, and to move one of the indicator portions l'urthcr outwardly into longitudinal alignment with the other poi tlon during a further movement of said actuating ineniber to form an indicator pointion; in a desired direction.

T. .sl. vehicle direction indicator comprising an arm pivolally mounted at one end; an iiulicator mounted upon the other cud of the arm. said iiulicator consisting-of separate head and tail portions pirotally mounted upon a con'nnon pivot axis and normally disposed, in proximate parallel relation; an actuating member pivotally .mountcd adjacent the urn: and movable in either direction from a normal position; a pair of Flexible connections connected bctueen tl actuating member and the arm and each engaging an indicator portion, said connections being or rangzjod to move the arm outwardly to oporat ive position With the indicator portions in normal rclation durinr an initial movement of the actuating member in either directiom and ono of said connections being arranged to move the indicator portion engagcd lhcreliiy further outwardly into longitudinal alignment with the other portion during further movement ot the actuating incuibcrin one direction and the other connection to in'ipurt :1 similar movement to the other iiulicator portion when the actuating member is moved in the opposite direction.

8. )nvehicle direction indicator comprising an arm pivotally mounted atone end; an indicator mounted upon the other end of the arnu said indicator consisting oi. separate head and tail portions pivotally mounted upon a common pivot axis and normally disposed in proximate, parallel relation; an actuating" member mounted adjacent the arm and movable in either direction from a normal position; a pair of flexible and resilient connections connected between the actuating member and the arm and each engaging ono of the indicator portions, said connection on crating iml-cpciu'lcntly when the actuating member is moved in opposite directions to swing the arm out 'ai'dly to operative posi' lion during an initial movcnicnt ol' the aw tuatinc; member and to swing: the correspondingindicator portion t'url'hcr outward .ly into longitudinal alignment With the oppositc indicator portion to form an indicator pointing in a desired direction during a furtln-r movement of said actuating member in said ilircction.

hi vehicle direction indicator coinprising' an arm pivotallv mounted at one end and provided with lever portion adjacent the pivot mounting; an indicator mounted upon the free end of the arm, sald indicator consisting of separate head and tail portions pivotally mounted upon a common pivot axis and normally disposed inproximate parallel relation; an actuating member mounted adjacent the arm and movable innection and the arm and arrangedto exert a tensionin excess of the combined weight of the arm and the indicator portions when in normal position, said connections operating independently when the actuating member is moved in opposite directions to swing the arm outwar ly to operative position 'duringan initial movement of the actuating I member in either direction and to swing the lit) corresponding indicator portion further outwardly into longitudinal alignment With the opposite indicator portion to form an indicator pointing in a desired direction during a further movement of said actuating membe r. 10. A vehicle direction indicator comprising a housing arranged to be secured upon a vehicle and having an opening in one side thereof; an arm plvotally mounted at its upper end within the housing; an indicator mounted upon the free end or the arm. said indicator comprising separate head and tail port-ions pivotally mounted upon a common pivot axis and normally disposed in proxiing a housing arranged to be secured upon a vehicle and havin thereof; an arm pivotally mounted at its. upper end within the housing; an indicator mounted upon the free end of the arm, said indicator comprising separate head and tail portions pivotally mounted upon a common pivot axis and normally disposed in proximate parallel relation; an actuating element pivotall mounted adjacent the arm; a pair of flexi 1e and resilient connections can nee-ted betweenthe actuating member and the arm and each engaging an indicator portion, each connection operatin independently to swing the arm outwardly to operative position with the indicator portions in normal relation durin an initial movement of the actuating menu I and to mo've the corresponding indicator portion further outwardly into longitudinal .atlgninent with the other portion during a further movement of said actuating member -to form an indicator pointing in. a desired direction.

In witness whereof, I hereunto set my signature.

FARRO W. CHADWIGK.

c an opening in one side 

